


Treat Me Like Fire

by Danganphobia



Series: Start All Over [1]
Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Aina/Lucia if you squint, Angst, Burning Rescue shenanigans ensue, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Movie, Romantic Comedy, Slow Burn, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 21:42:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20785487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danganphobia/pseuds/Danganphobia
Summary: Galo teaches Lio how to live normally as a regular Promepolis citizen again, several months after the restoration of Promepolis, and the extinction of Promare.He realizes that Lio knew absolutely nothing, and had to start his life all over again from square one. Meanwhile, his team's got his back and are still typical with their antics.While both are focusing on restoring a city things are a little stale between them, but Galo is focused on rekindling that bond that they've formed once before saving the planet.





	Treat Me Like Fire

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back, lmao. I thought I was gonna be gettin' over my feelings in my last fic but I wanted to make my take at a post-canon/post-movie fic, and lemme tell you. If you know me from my other shit I get carried away with a lot of things and turn stuff into a cheesy old romcom. Title's based off the song by Lion Babe!!! I would recommend giving it a listen. 
> 
> Enjoy.

No one would ever think to see the day _promare _would come to extinction, and it was the last of the Burnish which would only now become a distant memory.   
  
It took thirty years, to throw the city of Promepolis into preparation against the unknown. It hadn't even took a decade, even _less _\-- for the power of two people, and the helping hand of a team, to commit the unthinkable. Promepolis thought they would never see the day. Living in fear of what happened next.   
  
The city was in a state of ruin, now it is time to start over from square one. Rebuilding the city back to what it once was, and it is no easy task. Without the promare and the earth's core back to a normal state of balance the incidents have no longer been occurring however with society so used to the Burnish population stirring up trouble all over the city Galo wasn't exactly expecting citizens to believe that this was really _it_. Kray Foresight had a _lot _of explaining to do with absolutely no way to make amends. But he kinda deserved that. People have lost their homes and before when the city was in shambles, the question rising was one thing: _what now? _  
  
Restoration isn't radical in this situation. Months were poured into rehabilitation centers, sheltering until refurbished homes were built and families needed to be given time to mourn the loss of loved ones. There's poverty running among the population, those who are injured seeking medical assistance. The funding to put into establishing a well established community and reforming government laws that were previously put into place.   
  
This wasn't the end of the Burning Rescue team, they still had an important job, other than what they were normally entrusted to do, in which the government relied on them to provide along with their aid to the people of the city. That included the Burnish, regardless of the city's stance on them.   
  
No matter what people thought they had to accept that the Burnished were no longer what they _used _to be and that they are human. They've always been, just like everyone else.   
  
It's been several months since the Promare disappeared.  
  
Promepolis is slowly coming back, but they're not all there yet. There's one thing Galo admired about Lio: is that even if a part of them had no longer existed it didn't stop him from ensuring that each and every single one of the Former Burnish were provided their place, their belonging in this city like most of them could only dream of. And he did so without hesitation.  
  
All those months ago he was at his near death if Galo hadn't breathed the fire back into his lungs to restart his heart back up once more, as for the test of his body. All those months ago he could have disappeared, and humanity would be doomed. But he didn't express that burden aloud. To him, the people mattered. More than his well-being.   
  
With no reason to be residing in the mountains anymore Lio didn't have a home, so Galo offered that they live in his now refurbished apartment (first time they saw the state it was in he grimaced, "_damn, we really fucked this whole city up didn't we?" _In which Lio could only stare in disbelief at the audacity to say those words) and that he owed it to him, he never really _had _a temporary home. Lio offered to live with Meis and Gueira but they had said Lio deserved to find his own nice place to live in, and that they would be fine.   
  
Galo doesn't really understand why they felt the need to still call him _boss _when he's no longer the leader of arsonist terrorist group, then he understood that the three were only making amends this time giving former Burnish safety and no longer putting them in danger. The two groups had to shake hands with the Burning Rescue team in order to work together, and made a decision over a really _awkward _pizza lunch date that there's no reason to fucking throw hands at each other. Ignis said that they're all allies now. Lio was opposed to going from despising the firefighting team to having to link arms with them, and Galo had to sympathize that both he and Lio had to work together _anyway _to save the planet.   
  
With his point noted, there was an act of cooperation between former Burnish and firemen. Still, that period was quite awkward. Given more time to pass they were learning each other, slowly, but surely. Just because the two groups were on the same terms didn't mean that everyone else was. There were still opposing arguments that former Burnish were causing far too much casualties and damages that accepting them into society so easily is ludacris. Galo couldn't argue for everyone, but what he could see he _knows _that Lio understands their struggle, but he's _trying _to give back what he could as both an apology and the effort to better himself.   
  
In reality, since Galo is busy with his Burning Rescue duties Lio had his own responsibilities too. They were barely home. Time flies by fast. Leave in the morning and come back exhausted with lack of time to really communicate with each other. There's the awkwardness of Galo telling Lio he could take his bed while Galo took the couch. It's not the most comfortable, but when he's off duty and not working double for the city's restoration projects his limbs were ready to fall off to the point where he didn't _care _where he was sleeping. But he wanted to assure Lio had a comfortable bed to sleep in for once. Even if the other protested against the idea. _It's your place, it's not mine. _He said, Galo refused.   
  
He thought he was getting to know Lio. But he only scratched the surface, really. In a time of crisis of vengeance and broken trust, can't really ask someone to have a decent conversation or go out to have a cup of coffee. They didn't really have the smoothest of starts, Aina and Lucia liked to tease that the arsonist and the firefighter make a good match but that's a recipe for disaster. Galo and Lio were polar opposites. _But. _Aina is the one who notes it. _You two made it work. _  
  
But he feels guilty. That now they have the opportunity to know each other, to grow together, they don't have the time for it. There is progress. Lio warms up to Galo and he's… he's learning to be more of a team member than someone he just had to team up with to save the world. Still. Galo is observant, and he's not fully an idiot as everyone liked to point out. Lio is hiding some things from him. How he's coping exactly, with everything that happened.  
  
He kind of tried leaning towards his only two friends Meis and Gueira for help. But even _them _say that they think they're just really starting to see a part of Lio that's behind all that leader mumbo jumbo and it doesn't really _help _because the Lio he's trying to reveal is not the one who ran purely on survival instinct. It's the human being beneath that mask.   
  
So, he leaned towards asking his team members for advice by calling a team meeting at… it's not very hard to guess. They haven't gotten to have a good pizza meal in quite a long while, because all establishments were destroyed. Remi thought it was stupid to host a funeral for the destroyed joint as it was their favorite place since enlisting into the fire force academy, and even _then _they went there every single day after grueling hours of training, and learning a shit ton of engineering of new mech. But they had to respect Galo's wishes when he suggested it because they had no choice but to do so. For years, this was _their spot. _  
  
He had a speech and everything. Some tears were shed. Just by Galo, really. The rest of them were expressions of lament and Remi really thought this was ridiculous but he did feel the sorrow as they stood in front of nothing but rubble and debris. Lio didn't really _know _what to do then, he just stood there and awkwardly patted Galo's shoulder then got pulled into a crushing hug as Galo cried into his shoulder. The _funeral _concluded with a group hug, which did not allow Lio to escape. Varys and Ignis held them _very tightly _together with their large arms, and said _don't worry kids_, promising that the place would be rebuilt one day.   
  
"I can't believe this still tastes the same. Like. I'm so moved. I'm still in shock. So blessed."   
  
"It's _literally _because the chief still makes it." Remi stated bluntly. "Did you expect the taste to change?"   
  
"It's almost like it was better." Galo had a revelation. "You can just _feel _it in the taste."   
  
"Here we go." Aina sighed, "so like, you called for a team meeting. That _is _why we're here."   
  
"Make it quick." Varys kept his arms crossed.   
  
"Are we discussing plans to a new Matoi tech?" Lucia asked.  
  
"Not… not really." There's a reason why Galo was rambling on. It's because he was stalling on getting to the point. But since Lucia gets him, it didn't take her very long.  
  
"Ah." She crooned, teasing. "Or… discussing plans for Lio De Galon?"   
  
"I was going to assume the same thing." Ignis said. "But I was waiting until you were done stalling."   
  
"See. I was actually kinda nervous to ask this. But I wanted to ask you guys for help." Galo knew that he couldn't stall for any longer. As the patience was the group of thinning. "You're all like my family. Aina is like, my best friend, and sister, Lucia is my ride or die home skillet biscuit."   
  
"You know it." Lucia stole a slice from the fresh pie just left on the table five minutes ago from the one they devoured.  
  
"Remi is like the fifth cousin that everyone forgets about but you know, he still sticks around and shit." Galo continued on and Remi's eyebrows twitch in annoyance.  
  
"You're absolutely the bane of my existence." He muttered, irefully. But it made their table burst into laughter.  
  
"Okay, okay and… and Varys." Galo resumed, "Varys is the really cool older brother I've always wanted and Ignis is like my dad."   
  
"Where is this going?" Aina arched a brow.   
  
"He's monologuing." Lucia rested an elbow on Aina's shoulder, shrugging.  
  
"This is about the Lio boy. Isn't it?" Ignis presumed, as said subject is out being a busy bee and working a _lot _these past few months that he couldn't make it to their lunch dates most of the time. "So you're ready to take the next level and you want our approval. Is that it?"  
  
"You mean you want us to approve your _mans_?" Lucia snorted.   
  
"'Course we do!" Varys smacked Galo _hard _on the back that he could've coughed up the pizza down his esophagus. "Why the hell would you think otherwise?"   
  
"_Wait_!" Galo shouted, "You guys got it all wrong. Lio ain't my _mans_."   
  
"Two of you lived together for almost a year." Remi noted. "If this is to ask us if we like him then that means you're definitely asking for approval."   
  
Galo massaged his temples. "Okay. The problem is that we aren't there yet. I feel like, living together might be moving too fast. At least for him. Because it's like ever since we like, saved humanity and shit, we're like strangers who are just now learning how to be roommates."   
  
"Oh shit." Lucia said with pity. "Dude. That is rough. I'm so sorry."   
  
"You mean… you guys aren't even like, friends?" Aina asked, "But Heris said the two of you beat the ever living shit out of the governor and piloted Leonardo Da Vinci--"  
  
"--Lio de Galon--"  
  
"--Oh sorry, _Leonardo DiCaprio_ together."  
  
"_Fuck off_."   
  
"I still wish I knew how the Hell he made it." Lucia grumbled.   
  
"We're _friends_. Just. It's not how I expected." Galo averted the topic back. "I tried asking his friends. But they don't really know the real him either. It's like back then they only saw him as their leader and that's exactly how he acted."   
  
"Yes, but that was a live or die situation." Remi added in his two cents. "And considering… a _lot _of what the former Burnish has been through--"  
  
"--Especially him, just like everyone else, has a lot to deal with." Ignis finished. "I don't think it's your fault. No one can open up and share a horrific experience so easily. But if it weren't for you both, none of us would be here today."   
  
"I… I guess you're right." Galo felt grateful, but he doesn't visibly smile. Which concerns them.  
  
"Ain't gonna say nothing bout how it's your burning fire fighting soul that always saves the day?" Varys chuckled. "This boy's got you all tongue tied."   
  
"That's… that's not really the point here!" Galo flushed.   
  
"Give it some time. I think that's what everyone is trying to say." Aina smiled. "I think he likes you. But living a day to day life is not something he's used to. So he might be a little closed off. Work with him. Communicate." She made a gesture with her hands bringing them closer together. "You two are like yin and yang. Like. Firefighter and ex-arsonist soulmates."   
  
"Why the fuck do you keep saying that?" Galo asked exasperatedly, but he wasn't even expecting an answer, just laughs from the crew instead. Which he received.   
  
"What she said." Lucia mumbled. She's not good with pep talk. But Galo knew she meant well. Aina snorted and nudged Lucia on the arm.   
  
"Uh. So I'll just speak for her. I know I shouldn't be using this analogy but like. Think about treating him like fire. You have to be careful with it. Try not to startle it, or make it worse. Slowly… keep it warm enough, and don't let it go out." Aina expressed, "Like a campfire!"   
  
"Ugh, your _mind_." Lucia gasped.   
  
"Jesus fuckin' Christ." Galo mumbled under his breath.   
  
He does know what to do now.

☆☆☆  
  
  
  
They have all these ingredients stacked in their fridge to make gourmet meals and yet they never have the time to do it. If Galo was going to make them talk, he stuck around and waited until the two of them had a flexible, looser schedule so that when they were in the house together it wasn't just awkward silence of talking about what they did at work or how their day went.   
  
He made breakfast in the morning. Lio slept in when he had days off. Like, a lot. He thought maybe he would have to leave the food set on the table and wake him up while it's still hot but footsteps pad out of his bedroom and into the kitchen.  
  
Clad in pajamas, getting oddly used to Lio wearing regular clothing (nearly a year later and it's like Galo's wardrobe consists of mostly sneakers while Lio just owned various pairs of boots, knee high, or ankle high, you name it and his choice of black in style doesn't change) Lio rubbed at his eyes.   
  
"Good mornin'!" Galo grinned.  
  
"Good morning." Lio covered a mouth to yawn, eyes squeezing shut.   
  
"How'd you sleep?"   
  
"Good."   
  
"Just in time. Breakfast is ready." He had a few recipes he liked to cook for the firehouse, because it alternated between him and Ignis and the rest of them could be lazy as fuck to use the kitchen and make something for the highly dysfunctional team. But they always loved a good pancakes, eggs, and bacon combo.   
  
Lio rubbed his eyes again, then blinked. "You… you made breakfast?"   
  
"Yeah." Galo laughed, and he retracted a mug from the coffee maker set up prior to place into Lio's hands.   
  
There's one thing Lio was fond of drinking, and that was coffee in the morning while he angrily tapped away at his phone with one hand to call his companions on the phone before storming out of the house. Usually Galo was asleep on the couch, and the only thing Lio would eat is cereal or toast, unless there's leftover takeout or something that's instant food. Then he would bid his goodbye and say he's running late before their conversations linger too long.  
  
"Thank you." Lio mumbled quietly. He drank from the mug, confusion in the knot of his eyebrows. "How did you know I like coffee?"   
  
"I see you drink it in the mornings."   
  
"No… but… you know exactly how I like to put two sugars _and _milk."   
  
"What demonic soul drinks black coffee?"   
  
Lio hid a smile behind his mug. "From time to time. But I didn't think you would notice that."   
  
"Oh. Was that just a _smile _I saw?"   
  
"Your shirt is on inside out." Lio slid his gaze sideways and walked towards the table, casually. Galo looked down at his black shirt and noticed, the tag is sticking out. Lio is still smiling, but it's gone the moment Galo met his gaze and a gorgeous share of violet turned away.  
  
"This is why I don't like wearing a shirt." Galo got his share of coffee, made sure he added an unhealthy amount of sugar after pouring the milk to join Lio at the table.  
  
"It's not that difficult to put a shirt on properly." Lio reminded, almost jesting.   
  
"Yeah but it's always so _hot _in this city and I get really sweaty."   
  
"I don't think that's very normal. And that's very disgusting. Spare the details."   
  
Galo snorted anyway and it annoyed Lio, and that's what makes him snort even more, and they're eating but talking so… So normally. Galo isn't sure why it was awkward in the first place. Just falling right into it. Maybe it's because he was overthinking his approach with talking to Lio that he gave off the impression that he didn't bother to communicate with him efficiently again.  
  
Lio stabbed at his pancakes and took small bites. But he stared at Galo, irked.   
  
"Do you think I'm hilarious? When the topic is of your lack of decency and personal hygiene?"   
  
"Is your hair in a bun?" Galo quipped. All that bundle of lime green, almost to a shade platinum blonde is bunched up into a messy bun with a black scrunchie. Galo doesn't own any scrunchies. Maybe it belonged to Gueira, or Aina and Lucia, since they've got the long hair with the need to be bunched up.   
  
Lio sipped at his coffee and stared at him more.   
  
"It's cute." Galo said.  
  
"Do you have work today?" Lio ignored him.  
  
"Nah. Off duty. When things are gettin' more settled the less busy my schedule gets." Galo reached to pour a copious amount of syrup on his pancakes.  
  
"Oh my _God _that's so much." Lio had to stop him after some point by taking it away, "Stop."   
  
Galo laughed. "I like my pancakes syrupy!"   
  
"Yes yes I'm aware of that it just-- it just frightens me when you pour so _much _you're trying to kill yourself."   
  
"How do you like your pancakes?"   
  
Lio didn't know how to respond. "Um."   
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I… never really eaten pancakes like that."  
  
"Ah." Galo said. Nodding. "What foods _do _you like?"   
  
"I think the pizza at the place you take me to tastes nice."   
  
"Yeah, I know. But like. What other foods. I love pizza. It's the best thing to ever exist since… hot wings. But I like other foods too. Like pancakes. I love spicy udon noodles, takoyaki, teriyaki-- I could go _on_. But you get my point." Galo tried not to ramble too much even when Lio didn't mind.   
  
"I don't really know because we've spent a drastic amount of time just finding the scraps we can live off to split between ourselves and… former Burnish." Lio explained. "So after we began with restoring the city I've sort of, accepted the fact that I actually have _access _to… proper tasting meals. But I don't know where to start, until you took me to eat pizza with your team." Lio laughed. "I know, it's a little shocking."   
  
"Not at all. It's my fault for figuring that you _did _have favorite foods."   
  
"It's fine." Lio waved a hand, and he continued picking at his half finished eggs. "I don't… have much of anything really. Most of us being accepted into society are lost because we don't know how to function, if that makes sense. Figure out what we like and don't like. What we like to do. Our hobbies. I wasn't born into that era. And neither were you. And yet, you could do so much. For fun."   
  
Galo finished his food, setting his fork down. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's more like you have to rediscover who you really are."   
  
"Precisely," Lio affirmed. "I. I knew… you might understand, but I didn't think you would want me to worry you with my burdens. Meis said I should talk about it with you eventually or he's going to consider doing it himself and trust me I didn't want it to come to that conclusion."   
  
"You're not Burnish anymore." Galo doesn't even like saying that word. Feels forbidden. It's more of like an on spoken territory that leads to tension. "You're not botherin' me with any issues, Lio. We live together. I care about you, and you're really important to me. So I want you to trust me that we can figure things out. Like I get it. We save the world and rebuild it but you ain't used to living normally and you know what, shit's crazy, and it's a lot. But it's _fine_. You have the chance to… just be _you_."   
  
Eyes fixated on the maple syrup between them, Lio couldn't meet Galo's gaze. But the emotion welled up in those eyes, Galo couldn't miss for a second. He caught them. Vulnerability.  
  
"You helped me a lot already. By introducing me to your team. And the _very _exquisite foods I've gotten to try out." He added quickly and it makes Galo chuckle. "I appreciate it… for you being patient with me."   
  
Galo reached over the table to hold Lio's hand tightly. "You're safe. You are one of us now."  
  
A ghost of a smile appeared on Lio's lips. Galo withdrew. Because he didn't want to overstep or get too comfortable. This is a start.   
  
"Thank you, Galo." Lio murmured.  
  
"No problem, gorgeous."   
  
"Huh." Lio scoffed. "You're getting awfully bold with nicknames."  
  
Galo blushed. But he coughed and masked it with a smirk. "Or is it too soon?"   
  
"I don't care." Lio took the syrup and decided to pour more on his pancakes. "Say as you please."   
  
"So it's a problem when I put too much syrup?"  
  
"No you put an insane amount, mine just gone dry."   
  
"Like that justifies that shit is fair."   
  
"I'm different." Lio said smugly and continued to eat despite Galo's gawking. But he got over it and sat up to pick up his dish and place it in the sink to wash after he's done with showering.  
  
"I gotta go shower." He told Lio. "There's still a little more on the stove if you want any, once I'm done the shower's all yours."  
  
"Are you--?" Lio asked quite quickly as Galo crossed the table to head for the shower, then noticed his eagerness and stayed silent for a moment, "Are you leaving?"   
  
"To where?" Galo laughed. "Got the whole day off. You gonna miss me?"   
  
Lio gave his arm a smack. "I have a serious question, fool."   
  
"I'm kidding. What?"  
  
"When you said rediscover myself… I think I'm going to need a little bit of assistance with that." Lio explained.  
  
"And… can I ask why?" Galo frowned. "You're way more intelligent than I am. And for me to admit that says something."  
  
"I don't know what that means. Because I don't think I know how to do that. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I need _your _guidance." Lio presented the request and Galo thought he would never see the day.   
  
"Oh my sweet dear Lio, I thought you would never ask." 

☆☆☆  
  
  
  
  
_"Oh God._" Galo said, when it's been nearly two weeks later when they met up for ice cream at another parlor near a construction site of a park that is being renovated. It's like they've made _little _progress. Like less than Galo thought. "What the fuck. Were you b-- were _you_ from Mars or something?"   
  
"You can say Burnish. It's okay. We lived in Promepolis, nincompoop." Lio shoved him. "If you can recall, exiled?"   
  
"There has to be _some _things you have some knowledge about. It's like everything I've been suggesting on this list I made you don't really know anything much about."   
  
"At least I discovered that I like… Vanilla, um, ice cream." Lio answered, Galo can tell that for sure.  
  
"Yeah but everytime I take you out on food dates it doesn't rest help that in every other category you haven't familiarized yourself with." Galo argued.  
  
"Like I said. As a former leader of Mad Burnish, we did _not _have the time to learn what regular people liked or did." Lio said in defense. "You see why I regretted giving you insight?"   
  
Galo sympathized. "You're right, you're right. I'm sorry for being a little too dramatic about this."  
  
"You're always dramatic."   
  
"Said the once former leader who used to wear the most dramatic ass outfit known to man, with your dramatic ass mech suit you don't wear anymore."   
  
"That was an old me. But his spirit still lives." Lio had a lot of pride, that's for sure. "I know who I am now, and the game has changed. Galo, I can do this."   
  
Galo sighed. "I don't want to rush you. We are still figuring things out."   
  
"That's why I want to do this. I'm tired of figuring things out on my own when I don't even know how to. Not like you would. Or anyone else would." Lio told Galo, determined.   
  
"Sounds like someone really believes the greatest hero of all time can do his magic handy work. The super amazing magnificent, spectacular Galo Thymos extraordinaire "   
  
"I wonder if you just learned those words off the dictionary and put them together thinking that would make a coherent sentence."   
  
"Oh, Li, you wound me."   
  
Lio walked a little slower. "...Li?"  
  
"New nickname!" Galo chimed happily. "Li is short for Lio."   
  
"Okay." Lio laughed. "Ew, but okay."  
  
"Did you just say _ew_?" Galo gasped, "You're talking so much like us now it's crazy!"   
  
"I think it's more like both your influence and Meis'. They're adapting _so much _better than I am." Lio said, and the envy is clear. "And they make it sound so easy when I ask them. They're like, without your powers, you have the privilege to do so many things. You get to, quote on quote, ' really, _really _live your life.'" The way Lio is mocking their optimistic tone is hilarious and Galo started to laugh.  
  
"This is _not_ funny." Lio spat. "My legacy has changed drastically since you have gotten to connect your fist with Kray Foresight's face instead of me."   
  
"They just think that you're used to picking things up easily. Maybe they don't know you don't understand. But you're capable of getting the hang of it." Galo reassured. "Hey. Don't sweat it."   
  
Lio seemed to calm down after that. He looked at Galo's tipping chocolate ice cream.   
  
"Your ice cream is falling over." He said, dull. But it was far too late. It spilled over to the ground and Galo screamed like a sissy watching his cold delight on a hot day fall and melt in the dirt.  
  
"No!"   
  
"You better not pick that up from the ground."   
  
"...Five second ru--"  
  
"No."   
  
Galo sulked. Their walk is silent. Then Lio silently offered to share his ice cream with Galo. Galo smiled at his reddened cheeks and closed eyes, shut peacefully on their walk. He put an arm around Lio's face and hand over Lio's hand, walking closer to him until they were pressed together so he can lean down and have some of the ice cream.

☆☆☆  
  
  
  
  
Galo spent the next couple weeks creating a list of hobbies or particular interests that Lio would be into. But he needed to be given a brief explanation of some, not all, and why people did it. It was kind of cute, Galo wouldn't lie. But it's like teaching a younger child, _from another planet _\-- what the purpose of video games are, what a _meme _is (more or less the internet and its changing culture and trends)_, _the epic highs and lows of mech fighting tournaments that they liked to host at the firehouse, binging super good tv shows and movies, going out to do fun activities. Not that there's much to offer while the city is being reconstructed _but _Lio needed to be prepared for when in maybe a couple years things are up and running they could do _so much _stuff. And he emphasized that.   
  
Their schedules conflicted once again and Lio said he would try to think about the stuff on the list on his own when Galo was busy. So that maybe he would come to a conclusion of what he liked.   
  
Then… after their talk on that eventful ice cream walk… magically there was some progress. Lio surprisingly liked some really domestic things. He found peace in cleaning Galo's messy ass apartment. All the clothes piled around the floor and the pieces of food, bags of chips, random popcorn on the ground and stray cheese doodles. Cleaning all the dishes he forgets to wash in the sink, and then Galo would walk in thinking he walked into the fucking wrong apartment.  
  
Lio started binging a lot of movies just because it's for _research. _He said. They play video games when there's free time, and Lio is very competitive, so he liked the competitive multiplayer ones the most and found catharsis in playing single player on his own accord. He tried a hand at cooking sometimes, food is not the best, but he's trying.   
  
Galo can tell doing that scared him a little, but they try not to talk about that. He just offers if they want to do laundry and go out grocery shopping. Lio loved to read books. Judging by the numbers of books appearing in the apartment increasing little by little that they had to place them in the unused bookshelf by the television which Galo left like two bags of hot Cheetos inside and an old, very old, adult catalog. (which Lio threw against the wall when he flipped through the pages in shock) He took Lio to the firehouse more often so he could not find an excuse to run away from them. It's not like they disliked him, quite the opposite. They just teased Galo to no end about their growing relationship.  
  
He succeeded in taking Lio out of his comfort zone. It's easier when Galo started inviting Meis and Gueira and Lio felt more embarrassed that they had to be introduced to them just knowing how _chaotic _they are when together. But the fact that no one's still not throwing hands unless it's the exception of a mini mech fight it means that the Burning Rescue team approves. Especially Ignis. For Lio, being liked by him meant a lot. For Galo, being approved meant _the world._  
  
That meant Lio could see them participate in their mini mecha battles where they just remote control their mechs to beat the shit out of each other. This was serious business. Rules were strict. No funny business, approximately one week given to make mini mechs and once they're done and tested they're all ready to go.  
  
As a competitive sport, Lio got to make his own and beat up everyone's mechs as a result boosting up in their tournament rankings that Ignis wanted to fight him too.   
  
Lio learned a _lot_ from the experience, and he was looking like he was comfortable, mostly with Remi, Aina just latched onto him a lot to befriend him as well. Vinny loved him more than he loved the rest of the team, the _betrayal. _They were really loud and like a dysfunctional family constantly arguing, and already named Lio's place in the family as the one cool uncle and Galo's babysitter quickly forming into an inside joke. Lio didn't want Gueira to become best friends with Galo because they'd make a terrible pair, and yet it happened anyway. Add Meis to the duo and Galo's _meme dream team _is complete.   
  
When they weren't doing that, there were days they liked to play trivia games, or play charades together a long day of being on duty until night and turn on some music to celebrate another day of hard work. Being able to party and drink is not something they would have done if the planet was blown to smithereens.   
  
He doesn't want to admit that getting one on one dancing time with Lio makes him feel happy. Extremely. (Lio is a fast learner considering before he was stiff as a board once the team started to get down, Gueira had no problems joining in, took Meis a little bit of some time before Gueira dragged them both to dance too).   
  
"I would like to do another toast." Ignis announced, Lucia turned down the music just a little bit to accommodate the volume of their captain's voice.   
  
"We've been through a lot of hardships, but I thank everyone for their help. We stayed through one of the toughest times in Promepolis history and managed to revive our city when before we never thought we'd deal with our previous problems given the circumstances. We couldn't have done it without one of our strongest members of our team." He raised his cup.   
  
"Cheers." Everyone else echoed, harmonious.  
  
"Surely not one of the brightest members." Aina chipped in. Remi and Meis snorted and Lucia and Gueira cackled. Lio bent down his head to hide his smile by keeping his lips pursed.   
  
"Ignis made a validating _speech._" Varys informed, all the laughing cut short and the smiles vanished.  
  
Galo glared. "All of you are flip flopping ass bitches."   
  
"We know you're awesome at what you do." Gueira said truthfully.   
  
"I didn't mean you, Meis or Lio. You guys are sweethearts. I meant the rest of them."   
  
"_Sweetheart._" Lio almost laughed. "These two are not sweethearts."   
  
"You didn't correct the fact that he called you sweetheart." Aina whispered. Lio gaped at her.   
  
"Not my _point_."   
  
"Thank you, Ignis. Really." Galo talked over the two of them, clearing his throat. "I appreciate it. All my boasting aside, I couldn't do it with all your help though so I want to thank you guys as well even though, the three of you--" he referred to Aina, Lucia, and Remi, "Are just mad because I'm the hero of this city you _wish _you were like me."   
  
"I'm the one who makes the Matoi tech that you wouldn't be able to pilot if it weren't for me." Lucia said haughtily.  
  
"I have to laugh." Remi snorted. "Never in my life would I want to be like you. So applaud yourself for being one of a kind."  
  
"All you do is walk around shirtless with your smelly deodorant lacking armpits and almost kill yourself putting out your fires." Aina fired back.   
  
"Shots fired!" Gueira hollered and Lio swatted him in the arm.  
  
"You imbecile!" He scolded him for instigating.   
  
"You really wanna go there?!" Galo shouted.   
  
Varys and Ignis sighed because they knew this was gonna lead to another argument.   
  
Damn right it did but Galo was not gonna apologize.   
  
  
  
  
It's another week into Lio's self discovery journey.   
  
He's borrowed Galo's headphones and began listening to music, to learn about that, too.   
  
It wasn't until he got a new cell phone he was able to. Leaving music on when Galo was home. Simply just… listening.   
  
Then, he hears humming.   
  
It's when he's pouring through Lucia's blueprints she stopped by to give to him on a possible new upgrade she's debating on, (yeah, he's a little bit of a _nerd _when it comes to not only fire engineering but engineering in general) when he hears Lio humming as he folded the laundry.  
  
He hears humming as he's falling asleep on the couch, too tired to look through anymore.   
  
He hears singing. He hears words.   
  
...And Galo, noted, it's beautiful. Lio's singing does wonders.   
  
The next night Galo put on music himself, classical music. Something he noticed that Lio liked.   
  
He asked Lio to slow dance with him. When Lio didn't know _how_, Galo was willing to teach him.  
  
  
  
They're growing closer.   
  
Breakfast is a morning routine on off days. Bickering feels almost natural. But there's something calming, something loving, something that feels homely.   
  
When they don't see each other, they have a city to build. Lio had people to aid. Galo had emergencies to rush into. Each day, it's normal to come home to see each other and have Lio tell him one new interesting fact he's learned that day. In a book he's read, or a magazine. Anything.   
  
Sometimes it's nothing that Galo doesn't already know. Sometimes it's something he doesn't know. Something new. But he could see Lio's face, his energy, his aura, glowing a little brighter. Then Galo is staring hard, and irritably at blueprints in silence while Lio reads a book. A comfortable silence that fell in between. 

☆☆☆  
  
  
  
Galo had sat on the balcony the next night.  
  
He doesn't wear a shirt around the house anymore. Because Lio doesn't care.   
  
Sometimes rebuilding a city can wear out all the bones in your body and constantly hearing the words _Burnish don't belong here living with us _made his blood boil, but he knew better as a matured person not to stir up trouble. These people are adjusting. But they don't understand and need to shut the fuck up so they _can _for once. He knew Lio heard these things and endured them, but it's still not right.   
  
Give them a chance already, dammit.  
  
Last thing Lio was doing was pouring through books dedicated to talking about Burnish and the mysterious behind the origin over decades ago. Maybe he was attempting to come to terms with turning a new page in his life and starting a new chapter. But the fascination lingered. Then he said he would be going to bed and that he was tired from the long day.   
  
Long days when they're tired, they don't say much. But it's normal, as Lio won't always be in the mood to talk. Staring at his hands and rubbing them together, like he's expecting something. Anything. _Promare _no longer existed. Galo doesn't know how it feels to be rid of something you've had with you since the day you were born. So he doesn't say anything that would overstep boundaries.  
  
_Treat him like fire. _  
  
Footsteps slide open the balcony door.   
  
Galo doesn't turn to look. "Can't sleep?" He asked.   
  
Lio sat down next to Galo, holding a lighter.   
  
"No." Lio answered. "I noticed you left your lighter on the table."   
  
"Ah. I know, thanks." He was going to take it from Lio. Maybe he shouldn't be around lighters, or matches, but he's been in front of a stove more than once. So Galo acknowledged that he's trying to separate his new life from his old identity.   
  
"Whenever Meis has a cigarette, I used to use my promare." Lio flicked on the lighter, though the flame is an orange, darker shade of red hue, just simply examining it.  
  
"What about you?"   
  
"I did accept it when he offered me one. Sometimes."   
  
Galo hummed. "Hm." He tried not to get too comfortable with the stress relief nicotine gave. Though, some nights aren't easy. Having the whole world on your shoulders.   
  
"...Galo."   
  
"Yeah, sup?"   
  
"I still have nightmares about that day."   
  
Galo exhaled into the warm night air. They're heading into dangerous territory, here. Usually Galo wouldn't coax Lio to talk about _that _day. Not now. Not until he's ready to. He stared at Lio carefully.  
  
"Do you… remember, anything?"   
  
"No. I just. I just remember, like my life being taken from me. All my _promare_, the oxygen in my lungs. Absorbed to near completion before I blacked out. But then… I wake up and remember that you gave me life." Lio said, as if he's trying to put something together. "I wish I could remember anything more."   
  
"And that's fine." Galo assured. "Besides. I don't, think you missed much other than me breathing back fire into your lungs like I was a dragon."  
  
Lio snorted. "We've been past that. You saved my life. But I still re _live_ everything that happened before you saved me, I still feel like, I can't breathe -- and everything is still being _taken_ from me."   
  
Galo let out a prolonged breath, "You're telling me this whole time you've been dealing with that alone, without telling me."   
  
"It's nothing unusual, Galo, I've dealt with many things. I've been on my own. And I have had to represent a majority, while I had my own _shit _to deal with. Trust me, I don't have to rely on you to fight my demons." Lio told him earnestly. "I'm not codependent."   
  
Galo put his hands up. "A'ight. I hear ya. You're not obligated to tell me anything you don't wanna and I don't think I gotta hold your hand through everything. You're grown, you were a leader, did a lot of _shit. _Mad respect. Just want you to talk to me still, too. We live together. Telling me you have nightmares and panic attacks so suddenly, you scared me there--"  
  
"--Galo--"  
  
"I don't want you to think I have to protect you from everything, I know how strong and awesome you are, not like _me _but you're fully capable of your own protection! I swear, don't wanna make you angry at me or say something I shouldn't, I have a habit of going over the line sometimes--"  
  
Lio reached for Galo's chin, to pull him closer -- and pressed a soft, sweet kiss on Galo's cheek.   
  
Galo malfunctioned completely and stopped speaking.  
  
"Do you ever stop to breathe when you're speaking?"   
  
"Uh." Galo said, intelligently. "Uh."   
  
Lio snickered. He stood up. "Come to bed. And I don't mean the couch. I mean, come to my-- come to _our _bed. It's your bed just as much as it's mine."   
  
"You don't want me to sleep on the couch anymore?!"   
  
Lio silently shook his head.  
  
"Who have you become?"   
  
"Lio Fotia version… 2.0."   
  
Galo put out his cigarette and laughed at the joke as they headed back inside the apartment together. "So you cracking jokes now, huh?"   
  
"Silence."   
  
  
  
Galo is the first to fall into his mattress, lying on his back. Just clad in his sweatpants after his shower.  
  
"Man I haven't slept in a bed in… wow, months."   
  
Lio settled on the bed next to Galo, naturally curling up against his side. Galo brings Lio's hands forward to wrap around his torso. Lio scooted closer.  
  
"You didn't have to take the couch…" Lio held him tighter. Snugly. He's cold, and Galo's body is now providing him the warmth that he used to give off when he still had his promare. So it was only natural for Lio to lean on him for that heat he was so used to radiating.   
  
"I know. But I wanted you to feel comfortable. What dickhead would I be to take the bed?"   
  
"You didn't have to sleep _on the couch_." Lio doesn't sound annoyed. He just sounds honest, and vulnerable.   
  
"I know." Galo repeated. But boundaries. Steer clear of fires, be careful handling a burning match. A flickering candle. Make sure it doesn't go out, but pay attention to it. Handle with caution.   
  
"If I weren't able to handle you you would've driven me out of here long time ago." Galo brushed Lio's bangs out of his forehead, pressing a soft kiss to cool skin. Lio raised his head slightly, with closed eyes, and let out a shivering breath.   
  
Galo kept him close, chin resting on top of his head.   
  
"It's my turn to keep you warm now."   
  
"Galo."   
  
Adjusting his arm, he lowered himself on the mattress just to meet Lio's face. Lying on his side to mirror him.   
  
"Yeah, baby." He slurred, jaded from sleep coming to consume him.  
  
"Do you think in a couple years we can finally readjust into society?" Lio asked.   
  
Galo kept playing with Lio's hair. "It ain't gonna happen overnight. People will say shit. But that's their opinion, and it's not gonna change the fact that we need to learn to live together if we're gonna flourish as a society instead of being divided."   
  
"But what if we do end up being divided?"   
  
"New government's not gonna let that happen. Not on my watch, either."   
  
"I told you about me being able to handle myself without protection. But I'm still scared."   
  
"I know."  
  
"I don't want you, or anyone on the team-- your-- _our friends_\-- my friends…" Lio's whispered words crack, just a tiny bit. "I don't want anybody to get hurt. But my dreams tell me otherwise."   
  
"Don't worry." Galo allowed Lio to bury his head in Galo's chest. "Ain't going anywhere."   
  
A shaky breath exhaled, and shoulders shook. Quivering. "Galo. _Galo_."   
  
Fingers splayed at Galo's chest. Wetness stained his skin. Galo let Lio sob, quietly. Stroking his fingers through Lio's hair. Loving. Understanding.  
  
He let Lio let it all out. As much as he needed to. Until the both of them fell asleep. 

☆☆☆

  
  
  
  
The new mini Matoi tech Lucia sent blueprints for is murdering Galo because he couldn't exactly figure out what cool things he wanted. So he asked Lio for a helping hand.  
  
Then he came up with a brilliant idea, Lucia should make a mini Lio de Galon for their tag team tournament.  
  
They weren't able to commence one exactly because Galo didn't have a partner. Varys and Ignis were always pairing up. Remi refused to fight alongside Galo and Lucia and Aina decided to team up together because girls do it better. Now that he had Lio on the other hand, Lucia was happy to get on board with the idea with an _it's about time _\-- and work on constructing their new tech. Took approximately two weeks. They spent nights looking through blueprints and making decisions about their approval, it's a lot of versions and alternatives just because Galo was picky and Lio just asked Lucia to add the designs Galo wanted without much debate.   
  
Reaching the day of the tag team tournament it's just a match between Lucia and Aina against Lio and Galo, both of them using joint remote control to engage in battle. The starting message before the battle is always dramatic because it's delivered by Galo, ("_we are here today to show the greatest of skills in a brutal match between the most dangerous weapons of mass destruction. A test of might. Are you ready?" "Do you have to give this type of thing every single time?" Aina asked. "Absolutely. Its tradition." Galo said, unapologetic.) _There's a small circle drawn by a washable marker in the middle of the ground and whichever bot is first to be thrown out of the ring loses. Go on for three rounds, and the team that remained in the ring the longest is the winner. Again, they take this seriously. Mostly Galo, but still an extreme sport to him.   
  
They get a _tie _before there's a fault in Lucia and Aina's mini mech, everyone spectating in the firehouse cheering them on up until their mech stopped functioning and Galo shouted for them to attack and deliver a blow that sent their mech flying out of the ring  
  
"That's it!" Varys called it out. "Final point goes to Team A."   
  
"Wait a second!" Lucia panicked, "That's not fair!"  
  
"You had a week to make sure it was tested." Remi said flatly.  
  
"We _did _test it!" Aina refuted, "We tested it like _ten times _together back at Lucia's place and it was working fine."   
  
"It ain't working now." Galo shrugged. "Oh. Sorry. The _one _time we kick your ass is when you guys wanna complain?! Every other time my Matoi was defective you two said I was just a sore loser."   
  
"Make it a draw." Lio announced tiredly. "You two fight well and I honestly do not _care _about the outcome, if this is the situation, that is."   
  
"Typical." Meis snorted. "Someone is boasting."  
  
"_Shut up." _  
  
"No!" Galo refused, "We can't just _surrender_."   
  
"You totally can." Remi pushed up his glasses. "It takes two seconds."   
  
"Then that's gonna mean the match is over! And it was so good!" Gueira protested.   
  
"Rules are rules." Varys shrugged. "If it applied the last time mechs get defective then it must always apply. Fair treatment."   
  
Vinny jumped on Lio's shoulder, as if the tiny critter were expecting them to win, or just wanted them to go at it some more.   
  
"Heard the man." Galo grinned.   
  
"You suck." Lucia stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry. "Watch the next time. We will kick your ass."  
  
"So we win?!" Galo questioned eagerly.  
  
"Match goes to Lio de Galon." Varys stated.  
  
"Bro!" Gueira exclaimed, _"Bro_! You and boss were so awesome in that match!"   
  
"Who's the tag team champion now?" Galo and Gueira started to engage in a victory dance and it made Ignis laugh. Lucia is pouting and Aina sighed. Remi and Lio grimaced, watching Galo prance around and do air guitar dance moves with Gueira and Lio grimaced.  
  
"I highly regret the two of them being best friends."   
  
"At least be a little bit excited." Meis nudged Lio in the arm. Lio doesn't do victory dances, but he just scoffed, too prideful and above that and it's just so _Lio _and it makes Galo laugh_. _But Meis gives Vinny a small high five.   
  
Lio smiled a little at Vinny on over his shoulder, reaching into his pocket to feed him a small piece of cheese taken from their firehouse kitchen.   
  
"Welcome to Burning Rescue, we're always like this, like everytime we're here. Especially him." Aina told Lio directly, not giving Galo any congratulations whatsoever and Galo is hurt. Even though he was rubbing it in their faces. They still deserved one victory.   
  
"I can smell your salt from here and I'm the sore loser?"   
  
"You fought really well Lio!" Aina ignored him. Now Lucia is mentioning something along the lines of building something new for Lio only, and this is the treatment that he fucking _gets_. Lio seemed overwhelmed by the attention but he gives them their thanks.  
  
It made all of them laugh, but it's definitely worth it. 

☆☆☆  
  


  
  
"No, no you should've seen the look on Remi's face when we found out that he was the murderer."   
  
"And everyone thought it was _me_,"   
  
They just came back from going out to dinner at this new restaurant that just opened up and spent the entire time just talking about Galo's relationship with the Burning Rescue and their shenanigans. They've gotten into so many, that they stayed at the diner until closing and had to end up leaving. Galo is surprised Lio asked him to continue, amused. Now they're on the story of the day they played _mafia _and constructed a whole story of a homicide in Promepolis and a group of the possible suspects involved in the crime. They played a guess game of who done it. It was chaotic, and friendships were almost broken because of it only for the murderer to be Remi.  
  
"Because when we all picked our roles through the basket someone had be the murderer and you just fit that description."   
  
"Maybe playing a poker face is one way to make you the least suspicious."   
  
"Fucking Remi accusing _me_. This handsome face could never commit homicide."   
  
"Not really correlated to the actual game, but okay. The most handsome faces are the most suspicious."   
  
Galo coughed loudly, blushing like an idiot. He tried to be smooth but Lio is just too _good_. "Perhaps!"   
  
Lio laughed beautifully, smacking his hand on Galo's chest. "Your role was great, though. Even if you didn't commit the homicide."  
  
"So was yours. You talked so elegantly I thought you would make a really good actor."   
  
"I just watched a lot of movies in spare time."  
  
"Right, right. So you're adjusting." Galo smiled. Their gazes linger for too long and sometimes it feels like they're going backwards, and forward with their relationship. There's a strengthening bond, but sometimes Galo still tried to be careful with how they naturally compliment each other.   
  
"It's… it's going well. I like living this way." They remove their shoes and jackets, sitting down on the couch.   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"That's… That's good."   
  
Lio brought his knees up to his chest and hummed. He looked so comfortable and _adorable. _He looked at Galo, and smiled. Galo smiled back. Then Lio looked away.   
  
The yearning to inch even closer than before is strong. Galo wanted to take that leap, but still. Take it _slow. _He thought. Try and take it slow…   
  
He didn't wait a year for this shit to not go anywhere, though. He made Lio live with him because he wanted to start over. Begin again.   
  
"Hey, Li."   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Look at me." Galo asked. Confident.  
  
Lio faced Galo. "...is there something the matter?" He chuckled, "You're so serious, whatever stupidity that's bound to come out of your mouth will hurt your brain."   
  
Galo doesn't give a remark. That's how Lio knew that he's really serious.   
  
"What's… what's wrong?" Lio asked. Voice dropping an octave and his jesting tone turns to concern.  
  
"I have to tell you something that's really important."   
  
"Okay."   
  
"It's a secret. Really big secret."   
  
"Okay. Yes."   
  
"Come closer so I can tell you."  
  
"We aren't children."   
  
Galo coaxed Lio to come closer anyway. "C'mere or I can't tell the secret." He convinced.  
  
Lio shifted so that his body could face Galo, coming closer.   
  
"Close your eyes." Galo directed.  
  
"What type of _poppycock_ are you plotting?"   
  
Galo couldn't help but snicker like an immature teenager at that. Lio's still so _old fashioned. _"Just do it for me."   
  
He rested a hand on Lio's side, holding gently at his waist leaning in to kiss him on the lips.   
  
It's only a peck, before they part.   
  
"What was the important thing you wanted to tell me?" Lio asked, and he's playing along to Galo's games. Just this moment. Which he appreciated even more.   
  
"Might need to come closer to find out."   
  
"Then please, kiss me again." Lio moved closer, whispering, pleadingly -- so that his lips were just a ghost away from Galo's, the touch of cold made Galo want to warm up those lips temptingly with his. So he complied.   
  
The spark of electricity was so _overwhelming _that it became ardent, just a shy of innocence lingering within their kiss. He can feel Lio’s lips warming up and he feels prideful, he almost feels so euphoric enough that he was _dizzy_ and--  
  
“Oh_ shit_\--” Galo slurred, pulling away, he’s falling back on the couch with his head lolling to the side and his world goes black for a few seconds.  
  
He woke up with light pats to the face, Lio asking if he’s okay and calling his name, sitting on top of him as he lied in a sloppy lopsided position on the couch. The next sharp smack to his face woke his ass up immediately.  
  
“Oh my God, I’m awake! I’m awake. I’m still alive, right? I’m still alive and good-looking?”  
  
“Yes.” Lio was trying very hard not to laugh.  
  
“The fuck just happened?”  
  
“I just kissed you and I think you fainted.”  
  
“I did?” Galo breathed out, he feels like he got whiplash. Some air knocked right out of his lungs and his limbs turn to molten as if Lio did that to him, but promare doesn’t exist, so maybe he’s just a lovesick, sappy idiot. “When you asked me to kiss you again I didn’t think we’d get this far and I’d pass out.”  
  
Lio cupped Galo’s cheeks, and kissed the corner of his mouth, apologetic.   
  
“Thank you for telling me your secret.”  
  
Galo laughed, even though it sounded weak, scratchy and slow, because his mind is jumbled up and could only think of how angelic Lio looks, and how he just managed to score the former leader of Mad Burnish with the oldest trick in the book. There’s a feat to taming an old, once wild flame that used to burn bright.  
  
Living in Promepolis again, like this, is_ sweet_. He likes this.

**Author's Note:**

> Where you can find me screaming about promare: **[Tumblr](http://danganphobias.tumblr.com)** | **[Twitter](http://twitter.com/danganphobia)**
> 
> Thank you for reading. ❤


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